Requirement for Ku80 in growth and immunoglobulin V(D)J recombination

Article Abstract:

The T and B lymphocyte development arrests in the early progenitor stage and V(D)J rearrangement is impaired in mice with Ku80 null mutations. The mutant mice are viable and fertile but are 40%-60% of the size of the unmutated control mice. The fibroblasts in the mutant embryo grow twice as slowly as their wild counterpart. The mutant cells are unable to enter the cell cycle if their DNA is damaged. The slow growth and reduced size of the mutant mice suggests a link between the Ku80 protein and growth control.